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natalieyanka's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
informative
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
3.0
lousnewchapter's review against another edition
3.0
If you’re a fan of feminist dystopian fiction or loved the handmaids tale then this is the book for you!
Considering we’re currently living in the middle of a global pandemic this book seemed quite fitting (and it was scary how much it hit home at times) but in this book it was to a different extreme. A deadly virus has wiped out most of the men on earth and Cole’s son, Miles, is one of the rare survivors. There are many women who would kill to get their hands on a living boy so to protect her son Cole must get Miles to safety which means crossing America.
This was sold as a thriller but I found it to be a bit of a slow burner, there wasn’t as many twists and turns to keep it fast paced and have you on edge which is what I like in a thriller but that’s just my personal preference. If you’re expecting a gripping thriller then maybe this isn’t the book for you but despite this it is a really good book and I enjoyed it so don’t let this put you off!
I loved how Beukes completely flipped typical gender stereotypes around. The fact that it was actually the male character who was vulnerable and at risk and on the run is a stark contrast to majority of books where it’s a woman in this role. I think we’d all assume that a world with only women would be more kind and nurturing but Beukes displayed well that this isn’t the case. As shown in the book women can be aggressive and violent too, wars won’t stop and neither will domestic violence, racism, injustices etc. It also made me stop and think a little about the impact stereotypes have on my view eg, mentioning security guards, police officers in my head I often went to picture them as males when infact they were women (because all the men had gone). This aspect of the book I really enjoyed.
Strong themes of grief, family, love, betrayal and gender were woven throughout. The bond between Miles and Cole’s was unbreakable, it showed the lengths that a mother would go to protect their children. Cole and Miles radiated strength, determination and bravery.
Lauren Beukes is definitely an author I’d like to read more of, she has such an incredible imagination and I’d love to see if any of her other books are similar to this.
Considering we’re currently living in the middle of a global pandemic this book seemed quite fitting (and it was scary how much it hit home at times) but in this book it was to a different extreme. A deadly virus has wiped out most of the men on earth and Cole’s son, Miles, is one of the rare survivors. There are many women who would kill to get their hands on a living boy so to protect her son Cole must get Miles to safety which means crossing America.
This was sold as a thriller but I found it to be a bit of a slow burner, there wasn’t as many twists and turns to keep it fast paced and have you on edge which is what I like in a thriller but that’s just my personal preference. If you’re expecting a gripping thriller then maybe this isn’t the book for you but despite this it is a really good book and I enjoyed it so don’t let this put you off!
I loved how Beukes completely flipped typical gender stereotypes around. The fact that it was actually the male character who was vulnerable and at risk and on the run is a stark contrast to majority of books where it’s a woman in this role. I think we’d all assume that a world with only women would be more kind and nurturing but Beukes displayed well that this isn’t the case. As shown in the book women can be aggressive and violent too, wars won’t stop and neither will domestic violence, racism, injustices etc. It also made me stop and think a little about the impact stereotypes have on my view eg, mentioning security guards, police officers in my head I often went to picture them as males when infact they were women (because all the men had gone). This aspect of the book I really enjoyed.
Strong themes of grief, family, love, betrayal and gender were woven throughout. The bond between Miles and Cole’s was unbreakable, it showed the lengths that a mother would go to protect their children. Cole and Miles radiated strength, determination and bravery.
Lauren Beukes is definitely an author I’d like to read more of, she has such an incredible imagination and I’d love to see if any of her other books are similar to this.
cindinaude's review against another edition
emotional
funny
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
lawryn's review against another edition
5.0
Call me crazy, but this concept is fascinating! A virus wipes out most of the world’s male population and the woman-dominated world doesn’t turn out to be the utopia I would imagine!
alicebme's review against another edition
3.0
The idea of this book was appealing. It is more of an on the run story than a pandemic story though. Less sci-fi and more terrible humans. Maybe not the best pick for me to read during election week. Ugh.
loveandpop's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
crimsoncor's review against another edition
4.0
Handmaid's Tale meets "Y The Last Man written by a woman". What is a world, with all its flaws and warts, populated just by women like? Like most of her books, she uses a small story to illuminate a larger world. Didn't love it as much as her earlier stuff (book:Moxyland|3491640] forever), but it was really good.
motherofladybirds's review against another edition
3.0
Thriller about a pandemic, but I still enjoyed it. It was a road movie and a chase thriller. I thought some parts were a bit reminiscent of other books I have read. I enjoyed it though.
thekaylie's review against another edition
3.25
tranquilpetrichor's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5